Swedes face significant struggles with student accommodation in these urban areas.
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Sweden's student cities are facing a significant housing crisis, with many students struggling to find accommodation. The issue is particularly severe in nine cities marked 'red', including Lund, Uppsala, Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Umeå.
According to Rasmus Lindstedt, SFS chair, the current housing situation for students is unacceptable. In Stockholm's city rental portal, Bostadsförmedlingen, 59% of the 698 student apartments advertised in the summer went to people who had spent two years or more in the housing queue.
The situation is not improving in Stockholm, as one in four students stated that they had been forced to turn down their place of study due to difficulties finding accommodation in the previous year. Students moving to Stockholm often face exorbitant rents and insecure second-hand contracts due to a smaller contact network.
Gothenburg's housing situation is also tight, with 12,100 student homes insufficient to supply the 67,000 registered students and 38,000 full-time students. However, many students in Gothenburg manage to find a more long-term solution within six months, often after starting in temporary housing such as second-hand rentals or as lodgers.
The two biggest student housing providers in Gothenburg have waiting times of between 1.5 and 5 years. In contrast, Uppsala has seen an increase in student housing availability this year due to a large number of student flats being renovated in 2024. Companies and organizations offering student housing in Uppsala are giving priority to new students and students from outside Uppsala county this year.
However, not all student cities in Sweden are facing such severe problems. Fourteen cities are marked 'yellow', indicating it is possible to get accommodation in the autumn term, albeit not in the first month. These include Alnarp, Luleå, Arvika, Borås, Gävle, Helsingborg, Jönköping, Karlskrona, Linköping, Skellefteå, Skövde, Trollhättan, Varberg, and Örebro.
Unfortunately, nine out of the 35 student cities in Sweden are marked 'red', indicating a severe shortage of student housing. Along with Lund, Uppsala, Stockholm, and Gothenburg, Halmstad, Kiruna, and Visby also face a severe shortage.
It's important to note that none of the green cities host major universities. The other cities marked 'green' include Borlänge, Falun, Kalmar, Karlstad, Kristianstad, Norrköping, Piteå, Sundsvall, Växjö, and Östersund.
In conclusion, the housing crisis for students in Sweden is a pressing issue, particularly in the major cities. Efforts are being made to address the issue, but more needs to be done to ensure that all students have access to affordable and secure housing.
